Birthstones

There is a gemstone associated as a birthstone for each month.  In Western culture, the Jewish historian, Josephus connected the twelve stones in the Breastplate of Aaron with the twelve months of the year and the twelve signs of the zodiac. In the 8th and 9th century there are writings associating a particular gemstone with each of the twelve apostles.  It became popular to have twelve gemstones and to wear one for each month of the year. Having a single gemstone for the month of your birth has been a practice starting about 500 years ago in Poland and Germany.

In an effort to standardize birthstones, in 1912, the National Association of Jewelers, adopted an official list of birthstones. The Jewelry Council of America updated the list in 1952 adding alternative gemstones and the last update was in 2002. 

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